Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/11/2010

Question
I have Woodmode solid oak cabinets 30years old. They still look great except the outside framing which the doors are attached to has dropped down about 1/2 inch on three cabinets.If you look inside the door the cabinet base is solid it's just the  frame on outside that has dropped. I was going to try to remove the frame and reinstall to original position but am not sure how they are attached. The door hinges are screwed into this framing but think maybe these faces are glued (which probably dried out)How can I remove them without damaging the beautiful oak frame?

Answer
Hi Elaine,

Sounds like you've had a face-frame failure, meaning it's falling off of the cabinet box itself. Usually, FFs are attached with glue and nails, so it's rare they fall off.

I would try to remove the frame and see if there are any nails that you can remove. Pull them out, or else the frame won't go back into place as it should. If there is any old glue on the back of the frame, try to scrape it off with a chisel. You want a flat back on the frame, so it can have a firm footing against the box.

If the face frame is hard to remove, try using a small pry bar to give you some leverage. You might have to remove the doors from the frame first. Be careful with the pry bar, so yo don't dent the cabinet box itself. A flay pry bar would be better than one that is sort of rounded. If it looks like you're going to dent the cabinet box, slip something flat under the pry bar, like a ruler or thin strip of wood, which will diffuse the area that you're crunching.

Reattach it with glue and nails. Titebond yellow glue is a good choice to use.  A nail gun would really help out here, but if you don't have one, I would recommend pre-drilling some VERY small holes, maybe with a 1/16" drill bit. Then look for some very thin finish nails (1.5-2" long) and use those to re-apply the frame. Try to countersink the heads, and then plug the nail holes with a putty stick, which is like a big crayon. You can find the putty stick in any paint department.

Good luck, the worst part is probably going to be pulling out the nails. Use long pliers and pull from the back side of the frame. That way, if you dent the wood, it won't show.

Write back if you need more help,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com